As the ANC leadership contest intensifies, long-time political allies President Cyril Ramaphosa and NEC Member Lindiwe Sisulu have now turned erstwhile political enemies. Sisulu has openly defied President Cyril Ramaphosa by refusing to withdraw the negative comments in her opinion piece on the Judiciary and suggesting that the president lied in his statement. She also accused the Presidential media team of mischievously and deliberately misrepresenting the contents of her meeting with the president.

The parents of Leigh Matthews say the man who killed their daughter - Donovan Moodley continues to show no remorse almost two decades after the murder. Rob and Sharon Matthews made oral submissions at the Johannesburg Correctional Services as part of the Parole hearing of convicted murderer Moodley. Moodley abducted Leigh Matthews at Bond University in 2004. Her body was found in Walkerville on Gauteng's Midvaal. She was 21 years old.

The ACDP says it's disappointed at the Judicial Conduct Appeals Committee's decision to uphold the findings of the Judicial Conduct Committee against former Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng.  The Appeals Committee concurred with the JCC's decision for Mogoeng to issue an unconditional apology for his pro Israel comments. He was found guilty by the Judicial Conduct Committee following a complaint that was laid by the South African Boycott Divestment Sactions Coalition, Africa4Palestine and Women's Cultural Group. Mogoeng made the pro Israel comments at a webinar hosted by an Israeli newspaper the Jerusalem Post  in June  2020.

Deputy Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure Development, Noxolo Kievit says all hands are needed to look into possible changes to the insurance legislation pertaining to state buildings, instead of shifting blame to the department. She told the Joint  Standing Committee on the Financial Management of Parliament that the country is currently following the regulations of the Public Finance Management Act. The committee also heard that Parliamentary Protection Service officials have not been working on the precinct on weekends and public holidays since the outbreak of COVID-19 in March 2020

The South African Depression and Anxiety Group - SADAG- has cautioned parents of the matric class of 2021, to look out for signs of anxiety and depression as they await the release of the matric results. The group says the prolonged wait and uncertainty around the results could have a significant impact on the mental health of students and their parents. It says it is important to identify signs of emotional distress

As many South Africans go back to work since the beginning of the year, questions over hybrid work models, calls for a return-to-office and mandatory vaccine policies are front and centre. Pertinent questions for employers and employees alike over vaccination, work from home and other issues have to be asked and answered.

Communications and Digital Technologies' Minister, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, has expressed confidence in the country's launch of its own Communication Satellite into orbit. A commission established by President Cyril Ramaphosa previously recommended that government build and launch a geostationary telecommunications satellite, which would offer its services to the entire Southern African Development Community region. Ntshavheni says they are targeting the end of this financial year to finalise the revised proposal of the country's own satellite

The tourism sector took a serious beating in 2019 and 2020 due to hard Covid-19 regulations imposed by the government to try and control the COVID-19 infection rate in the country. It was for the first time is two years where Covid-19 regulations were eased and inter-provencial travelling, going to the beaches and social events were allowed. However, some European countries put South Africa together with some countries in the Southern part of the continent on a red red list. This also had a negative impact on the tourism sector, because the country usually hosts thousands of tourists from Europe

With the 2021 matric results due to be released in a few days, many deserving matriculants who passed with flying colours but do not qualify for limited national funding or bursaries to further their studies will be asking themselves, What now?

Scores of ANC supporters who had waited in anticipation for President Cyril Ramaphosa's January Eighth annual address, showcased their jubilation in many forms including song and dance. Some supporters who attended were dressed in exhuberent ANC regalia showcasing the colours of the party. Meanwhile small businesses outside the stadium say their businesses thrived on the day